Page 98 of Shadowed Fate

In a blur of motion, Lochan’s fist connects, opening a crimson gash across the guard's cheek. The brute howls, enraged.

All hell breaks loose.

The Council guards surge forward. Lochan swerves between them, his movements precise. I hear bone crunching as he finds his mark again and again.

Callen's magic explodes outward in a dazzling array of light and color. Shimmering illusions flood the dungeon—duplicate versions of us darting in all directions, phantasmal beasts with gnashing teeth. The guards falter in confusion.

I summon my own magic, feeling the familiar cool tendrils of shadow coiling around my fingers. But something's wrong. The power feels unstable. Volatile.

Panic bubbles up inside me. I can't lose control. Not here. Not now.

A guard breaks through, grabbing for me. I lash out on instinct, shadows whipping from my hand. They slice across his face and he reels back, screaming.

Guilt and nausea churn in my gut. I didn't mean to—

"Brigid, watch out!" Callen's warning cry snaps me back to awareness.

I spin just as another one lunges, magic glinting at his fingertips. Time seems to slow as I realize I won't be fast enough to dodge.

But then Lochan is there, inserting himself between us. He hurls a powerful burst of energy that slams into the man's chest with brutal efficiency.

Our eyes lock for a heartbeat. The emotion I see there steals my breath.

"Stay behind me.” Lochan waits for me to acknowledge, staring into my eyes.

I nod, not trusting my voice. My heart thunders for reasons that have nothing to do with fear.

The hallway is a chaotic whirl of strength and magic. We're holding our own, but barely. The guards are strong, and they are skilled.

The shadows whisper, urging me to embrace their power. To let go and surrender.

It would be so easy. So tempting.

But if I do, will I be able to come back?

I hear Rory growl. "You lads picked the wrong boys to fuck with."

A guttural snarl rips through the air, snapping my attention to him. His eyes blaze with feral intensity as he drops to all fours. Bones crack and muscles undulate beneath his skin. In seconds, where my friend once stood, a massive werewolf towers over the nearest guard.

He lunges, sharp claws raking across skin. Blood sprays, and I flinch at the raw violence. But there's no time for hesitation.

Another guard charges at me, and I brace myself. But before he reaches me, thick vines erupt from the dungeon floor, ensnaring his legs.

Tiernan stands a few feet away, eyes closed in concentration. His fingers dance in intricate patterns as he communes with the earth itself.

More roots burst through cracks in the walls, whipping and grasping at our attackers. The dungeon itself seems to come alive, fighting alongside us.

I stare in awe. "Tiernan, that's incredible!"

He opens his eyes, a small smile playing at his lips. "Nature always finds a way, even in the darkest places."

A guard breaks free of the vines, lunging at Tiernan with a snarl. Without thinking, I throw my hand out. Shadows form into a razor that slashes across the attacker's back.

The power surges and I drink it in.

I feel the shadows beneath the surface, begging for release. But then I see something, drawing my attention away from the potent rush of power.

Marius stands apart from the fray. The surrounding shadows contort and curl, responding to his will. With a swipe of his hand, ebony tentacles lash out, wrapping around a guard’s throat and lifting him off the ground.

---